Video: A Musical Tesla Coil Sings The Imperial March from Star Wars

So, did you see the new Star Wars trailer? I’m cautiously optimistic, though it’s been a while since I’ve actually cared about Star Wars. Still, this video of a musical Tesla coil featuring The Imperial March is pretty cool.

Musical (or singing) Tesla coils work by modulating their spark output (that mystifying electric discharge) to produce audible musical tones. The vibrations caused by the electricity hitting the air are responsible for the tone, and the pitch you hear depends on how quickly the electricity of the Tesla coil is turned on and off (or its frequency).

So these Tesla coils can be modified into bizarre instruments to play whatever music you’d like.